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installing phpbb on winxp pro

This is my first tut so don't be harsh

This tutorial will guide you through installing phpbb 2.0.6 on winxp pro using apache 2.0.47 with php 4.3.3 and mysql 4.0.15.

1. the first thing i did was download and apache-2.0.47 from apache.org. Run the installer and where it says your domain and server name just put your ip address. This is to set it up on your home machine if you don't have a domain. Now at the command prompt cd into the c:\program files\apache group\apache2\bin directory and type apache -k install.
this will install it as a service on your machine. you can also just start it manually every time you log on by doing the same thing except typing apache -k start instead.
now test your server by typing your ip address in internet explorer. you should see the default apache page here. You may want to have your firewall off or have it set port 80 open. If this works you can delete all the sample pages from this directory
c:\program files\apache group\apache2\htdocs\

2. Next, download php4.3.3 from php.net. I downloaded the .zip format. Unzip the .zip one into c:\php. copy the php4ts.dll from c:\php and paste it in c:\windows\system32. Now go to c:\php and open the php.ini-recommended file in notepad. Type control + f and search for register_globals and find the one with no semicolon in front of it. change it to equal on instead of off. Now save it as php.ini in the c:\windows\system32 directory. Now stop apache by going to start-programs-apache...-control-stop. next open the httpd.conf file in notepad, it is located in the start menu at start-programs-apache...-configure...-edit the httpd.conf ... Now put these two lines at the bottom both on a line by themselves.
LoadModule php4_module "c:\php\sapi\php4apache2.dll"
AddType application/x-httpd-php .php
if you were using apache 1.x.x you would use php4apache.dll instead of the above.
Now start apache again and you should have php support.

3. Next, go to mysql.com and download the mysql4.0.15.zip file for windows. extract it to any directory and run the setup.exe file. now you should have a directory c:\mysql. To install this as a service at the command prompt cd into c:\mysql\bin and type mysqld --install. Now go into administrative tools and open the services program. scroll down to mysql and right click and select properties. You can either start it manually or have it start automatically, for now click start. Now you're going to want to change the password for root in mysql so in the same directory (c:\mysql\bin) at the command prompt type
mysqladmin -u root password "your_password"
include the quotes here.

4. Now you want to download phpbb. I got it from sourceforge but you can get it at phpbb.com. I downloaded phpbb version 2.0.6. Now extract the .zip file you just downloaded into any directory. open the folders you just unzipped until you get to the first one with all the files. copy everything here and paste it in c:\program files\apache group\apache2\htdocs. Now in IE type http://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx/index.php where the x's are your ip address. This should take you to the install page for phpbb. Choose mysql4.x for the database server leave localhost in the field where it is and under it where it says database name type test. For the database username
type root and password type the one you chose earlier. leave phpbb_ as it is and put your email address in the email field and your ip address in the next field if it isn't already there.
the port should already say 80 so make sure. Leave the directory as /. and you can choose your own admin username and password.

Now click install. If this didn't work we are going to have to make a database. at the command prompt cd into the c:\mysql\bin directory and type mysql -u root -p
when it prompts you for a password type your password chosen earlier.
now type create database board;
then hit enter and type use board;
and hit enter again. now type quit.

go back to the php install page. (by the way if you were never able to see this page php isn't working) and put everything back the same as before except for the database name. Change that to board. now click install. if this didn't work i don't know what to say.

next you should be prompted to delete the install and distrib directories so in my computer go to c:\program files\apache group\apache2\htdocs and delete these two directories.

now go back to internet explorer and type in your ip address again and click on the index.php file and you should be taken to your bulletin board. If this didn't work I don't know what to say other than good luck and it worked for me.

I know this is poorly written but I think if you follow this step by step you should have a phpbb in no time. I've done this twice and it worked both times. You can check out my phpbb at 24.243.64.239/index.php . It is running on a 333 Mhz, 384 Mb Ram computer so it will probably crash if too many people go there. If the link doesn't work it's because I have shutdown my computer.
Feel free to visit anytime, but don't expect it to be up and running.